Flow regulator for oil burners



April 24, 1928.

J. G; GILMORE ET AL FLOW REGULATOR FOR OIL BURNERS- Filed Sept. 1. 19262 Sheets-Sheet l I "III gig/5'4 W 4 m I 7 WI glwuentoz I Gil more &

April 24, 1928.

J. G. GILMORE ET AL FLOW REGULATOR FOR OIL BURNERS Filed Sept. 1. 1926 2S heets-Sheet 2 GGilmore &

A. JI'rame Vii/47%;

Patented Apr. 24, 1928.

1,667,314 ICE.

.mcxson e. ammonia AND aueus'rus a. FRAME, or ooLurtBUs, 01110.

FLOW REGULATOR FOB OIL BURNERS.

- Application fl1ed- September 1, 1926. Serial No. 133,056.

Thisyinvention'relates to liquid fuel burn- Another object of theinvention resides in ing systems and more especially to systems of thetype utilizing liquid hydro-carbon as a fuel and adapted forinstallation in the heating system of residences 01: other relativelysmall installations, the primary object of the invention being toprovide in a system of this type an improved means of a simple andautomatic nature for regulating the flow of the fuel to the burnerproper -with the end in view of supplying said burner with an adequatequantity of fuel 1 while theburner is inactive operation and theprovision of a fuel regulator of the type aforesaid wherein there isprovided a normally restricted xpassageway in constant communicationbetween the second and third'chambers, said restrictedpassagewaypermitting of a limited quantity of the liqwhen not in suchoperation to allow the flow l of but a limited quantity of theliquid'fuel so as to-produce a flame of small proportion, such" as apilot flame, for the purpose of providing a low degree of heat and alsoto ignite the fuel upon more active operation of the burner. Y

In accordance with the invention there is provided a liquid fuel burningsystem which includes a burner proper together with a blower forsupplying air under pressure to the burner, there being a fuel supplyline leading to the burner and provided with an.

:being passed successively through said chambers by conduits to theburner. The first chamber is provided with-a valve means servingnormally to maintain a common liquid level in the first and secondchambers, the second and third chambers being out of substantialcommunication when the liquid level is maintained, at said normal. Intheair line leading from the blower to the burner there is provided a pipeleading to the first chamber, whereby upon the opera% tion of theblower, to promote EICtlVGfiOID- bustion in the burner, air pressurewill be introduced into the first chamber and exer-' cised upon theliquid level therein so as to elevate the liquid level in the secondchamber and to permit thereby of the flow of the liquid from said secondinto said third chamber and to pass fromthe latter chamber to the.burner, the arrangement being such that when the operation of the bloweris arrested the liquid level in the" first and ,second' chambers willreturn to normal;

thereby arresting the main flow of fuel to the burner.

'uid fuel to flow from the second into the third chamber so as tomaintain, constant 66' combustion to a limited extent in the burnerirrespectively of the introduction of air into I 1 said first chamber. 7

With these and other objects in view, as will appearv as the descriptionproceeds, the 7 invention'consists in the novel features ofconstruction, combinations of elements and arrangements of partshereinafter to be fully described and pointed out in the"appendedclaims.

In the accompanying drawing:v

Figure 1 is a View in side elevation of the oil burning systemcomprising the present invention, and/illustrating particularly ourimproved regulator, v j

Figure 2 is'a vertical sectional viewtaken. through the regulator,Figure 3 is a top plan view of a portion of the regulator, Figure 4C isa'horizontal sectional view taken on the line H of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line 5--5 ofFigure 3, and

; Figure 6 is a similar view on the line 66 of Figure 3. Q

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawing the letter Aindicates the oil burning system in its entirety. This s stemcomprises'essentially a burner 1 which is mounted in'the fire box'2 ofafurnace or 05 the like 3. The burner may be of any suitableconstruction but is preferably of the type disclosed inour'co pendingapplication. Serial Number 96,025, filing date March 19, 1926. Leadingfrom the bottom of the burner is an air supply pipe 4, whichcommunicates, at a point exteriorly of the furnace, with a blower orother draught producing device 5. This blower may be driven by anysuitable means such, for example, as an electric motor. I a

To control the flow of the liquid fuel to the burner there isprovided aliqkuid supply p'ipe fi, which leads from a tan or other suitablereservoir, (not shown) to a fuel regulator 7, and it is to theconstruction and operation of this regulator that the present inventionis particularly. directed. "In this instance the regulator has beenshown 3853011,

sisting of a casing structure including conjoined casings 8 and 9,although it wlll be understood, as the description of the invenionprogresses, that the casings 8 and 9 could be formed in a unitary mannerif desired. The pipe 6 enters a well 10 provided in the lower part ofthe casing 8, and above the well '10 the casing is provided with ahorlzontally disposed wall 11 which separates the well 10 from asuperposed float chamber 12 found in said casings. For convenience indescription, however, this float chamber will be hereinafter referred toas the first chamber. The wall 11 is provided with a threaded plug 13 inwhich is formed a plurality of restricted passages 14 for establishingflow communication between the well and the chamber 12. The passages 14are shaped to provide a seat for the reception of the ,stem of a needlevalve 15. This valve is caran extentsufficient' to press the needlevalve on its seat so as to close the passageway 14, therebysubstantially obstructing liquid flow into the chamber 12. However, asthe liquid level in said chamber recedes the reverse operation takesplace and the needle valve is elevated to permit of the inflow of theliquid into the chamber 12 from the underlying well 10. If desired, thewell may be provided with a removable strainer 21 so as to removeimpurities from the incoming oil and to prevent the collection offoreign obstructing matter in the valve passages of the regulator. Thefloat chamber is covered by a removable lid 22, which also carries thesupports upon which the arms 17 are mounted, and the axial portion ofthe lid is provided with an opening through which the adjusting means 23for the float operated valve mechanism extends.

The casing 9 comprises communicating chambers 24 and 25, hereinafterreferred to as the second and third chambers. The

chamber 24is in communication with the chamber 12 by means ofa pipe 26and inasmuch as this communication is of an unobstructed character itfollowsthat-the normal liquid level in the chamber 12 and that in thechamber 24 will be the same. Above the liquid level in the chamber 24the casing 9 is provided with a horizontally extending wall 27, in whichis formed a restricted port 28. Adapted'to control the effective opening of the port 28 is an adjustable needle valve 29,. which is threadedinto the body of the casing 9 and has its upper end provided with aknurled edge 30, permitting of the convenient adjustment of the valve, alock nut 31 is also provided to maintain the adj usted position of saidvalve. By means hereinafter described liquid is permitted to flow fromthe second chamber 24 into the third chamber 25 by way of the port 28,and from the third chamber 25 the liquid is conducted to the burner l bymeans of a pipe 32.

The pipe 4 extending from the blower 5 of the burner 1 has connectedtherewith a short pipe section 33, which leads to the lid 22 or thecasing 8. 1t will be seen that when the blower is in active operationair under pressure will be introduced into the first chamber 12, therebyexerting an influence on the liquid level in said chamber so as to causeraising of the liquid level in the second chamber 24. The level in thischamber is sufiiciently elevated soas to cause the flow of the liquidthrough the restricted port 28 and thence to the chamber 25 aspreviously described, but it will be observed that this major flow ofliquid takes place only when the blower is in active operation, sincewhen the latter stops functioning normal air pressures are maintained inthe chamber 12 so I that no flow of liquid will obtain through the port28. Thus the regulator is responsive immediately to the first draughtsupplied to the burnenfor regulating the main flow of oil to the burner.

The lower portions of the second and third chambers 24 and 25 are incommunication to a limited extent, but which extent is manuallyvariable, by providing the wall 34 between said chambers with an orifice35, normally partially obstructed by the lower end of a needle valve 36.#This valve is disposed axially within the casing 9 and is threaded asat 37 topermit of its retention in various positions of adjustment. Theupper end of the stem is provided with a head 38. Fixed upon a boss 39protruding upwardly from the casing 9 is an indicator disk 40 carryingnumerals for disclosing various positions of adjustment of the valve 36.The head 38 is provided with'an arrow pointing toward said numerals sothat the operator may at a glance determine the degree of opening of theneedle valve. If desired, a spring 41 may be situated between the head38 and the disk 40 so as to insure the maintenance of the ositions ofadjustment of the valve 36. T e operation of the valve 36 is such thatwhen the arrow on the .headed end thereof points toward the nulattersuitable for heating purposes during fairly mild temperature conditions,such as when the system is being operated in the spring or fall, but forfull heating efficiency the blower 5 is operated and the main supply ofliquid fuel introduced into the burner obtained by wayof the port 28which permits of the main flow of liquid between the second andthirdchambers.

' In view of the foregoing description it will be seen that the presentinvention provides a simple yet efiicient regulator for controlling theadmission of fuel vinto a burner in oil burning systems embodying'meansfor introducing air' under pressure into commingled relationship withliquid fuel. The construction eliminates the use of electrical controlswitches and solenoids hitherto largely used in this capacity andprovides aconstruction, therefore, which is devoid of complications andis of a more reliable character.

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel regulator for oil burning systems comprising in combinationwith a fuel line and a source of air pressure, a casing including a pairof separate chambers, means situated in said fuel line for maintaining anormal liquid fuel level within one of said chambers, a valved regulatedport carried by said casing and disposed above said fuel level andserving to establish communication between the two chambers, means forintroducing air into said fuel line to cause the liquid to elevate andflow throughsaid port and into the other of said chambers,'and asupplemental valve carried by said casing and serving to regulate anorifice located below said fuel level permitting of a constant flow ofliquid between said chambers.

2. fuel regulator for oil burning systems comprising a casing formedinto two chambers, means arranged in connection with one of saidchambers for maintaining a predetermined liquid fuel level therein, saidcasing being provided with a port arranged above the normal liquid levelin said chamber and serving to establish communi cation between the twochambers when the liquid level rises and flows through said port andinto the other of said chambers, a valve for said port, a supplementalvalve carried by said casing and serving to regulate an orificepermitting of a constant flow of liquid between the two chambers, andmeans for maintaining said valves in a fixed adjustment.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signav JACKSON G. GILMORE.-

tures.

AUGUSTUS J. FRAME.

